


The Art of Being Dramatic

by the_chaotic_lesbian (orphan_account)



Series: The Art of Being Mike Wheeler [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Friendship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Mike wheeler gets slammed, This may be the fluffiest thing I ever write, no relationships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 04:21:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21009644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/the_chaotic_lesbian
Summary: Sometimes, Mike Wheeler really, really hates his friends. They're total assholes, all of them. How did he become friends with them again?~~~~~Or, a series of loosely-connected drabbles about his friends relentlessly teasing Mike(and the one time they prove that they love him no matter what).





	The Art of Being Dramatic

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to BJessica on discord. Every single thing in this fic was spitballed between the two of us, and she is 100% the reason why this fic exists. So thank her, not me. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

It's a Saturday evening, and the basement is practically glowing in volume. Four figures crowd around a table, shouting over each other in a desperate attempt to fight against whatever scheme Mike Wheeler has planned. 

"The hoard  _ clambers _ towards you! They're just within your reach, almost upon you. The leader stands in front of you, arms open, ready to-" 

"Can you read me a story?" 

Everybody freezes, because  _ holy shit when did Holly come downstairs?  _ And she's peering up at her brother with big wide brown eyes, her head tilted. 

"Holly," Mike breathes, "shouldn't you be in bed?" 

"I couldn't fall asleep," the girl mumbles, "Mom was gonna read me a story but you're better at it. Can you?" 

They're in the middle of a campaign. Surely, Mike will say- 

"Of course!" Mike beams at her, and then gives the party a sheepish look, "do you guys mind if I step out?" 

And it isn't like any of them can say  _ no,  _ not to precious Holly, but they all exchange looks when Mike disappears upstairs, in the middle of a campaign, because his sister asked. 

They never let him hear the end of it. 

Mike slips back down into the basement after a good thirty minutes, finding Will lounging on his bed with a sketchbook in hand, and Lucas with a book in hand, and Dustin sitting cross-legged next to Lucas, eyes dramatically wide. 

He thinks it's been quiet since he left - when he walked down to the basement, he hadn't  _ heard  _ any talking - but as soon as he steps into the room, Lucas gives a loud sound that can only be described as a  _ coo.  _

"Of course I'll read to you, Dusty-boo," he flips the book open, the look on his face dramatic and so  _ mean _ , "I'll do anything for you." 

"Really?" And Dustin is trying too hard not to laugh, it's obvious. From the bed, Will snorts. "My  _ hero. _ "

Mike groans, facepalms, "can you guys please,  _ please  _ leave it?" 

Both Lucas and Dustin smirk, in sync. 

~~~~~~

From then on, it becomes some sort of inside joke. 

Lucas is the biggest perpetrator, with Dustin as his trusty sidekick. Without fail, at least once a week, one of them brings it up, making overly affection cooing noises and using weirdly romantic nicknames. 

("Why are you teasing me so much about that?" Mike asks one day, frustrated and mildly upset. 

Lucas must sense this, because he softens minisculely and gives an honest answer. "You spoil her, Mike. You never see me giving into Erica as much as you give in to Holly." 

"That's because Erica hates you." 

"Shut it Wheeler.") 

It gets to the point where Mike is… kind of used to it, used to the jokes and the dramatic proclamations and the fake reading, and he comes to expect it. That doesn't mean he stops reacting though. 

"Oh  _ Mike,"  _ Lucas presses a hand against his chest, sinking against the couch frame. Mike had invited them over to keep him company while he planned the next campaign, and he almost regrets it with how his friends are acting. 

"If you say one more word I'm gonna hit you." 

"...won't you  _ read  _ to me?" 

Well, Mike has never been one to break his word. He picks up the nearest object - a book, ironically - and halfheartedly throws it at Lucas. 

...he misses. By like, a lot. The book completely misses Lucas, and instead it hits the couch cushion, bounces off, and lands flat on the floor, at least three feet away from his intended target. 

Mike stares at Lucas. Lucas stares back. 

"...holy shit Mike you really  _ can't  _ throw!" 

Mike whips his head around to glare at Dustin, who has a hand pressed against his mouth in a pathetic attempt to keep himself from laughing. 

"Dustin," he says warningly. 

But Dustin is just as brutal as the rest of his friends, and he just laughs openly, not even trying to hide it anymore, "I thought… I thought it was just nerves! But no! You can't throw worth  _ shit!"  _

Lucas laughs, then, a kind of snorting giggle that's high-pitched and on any other occasion Mike would not hesitate to fire off a tease about it but now he just kinda… gapes. 

"I… I can throw!" He sputters weakly in response, but even he knows that it's not believable. 

Three sets of eyes flicker to the book on the floor and then back up at Mike. 

"...yeah I'm calling bullshit." 

~~~~~~~~~~

Mike is lounging in his room one day, nose buried in a script, when he hears a knock at his door. It opens without his permission, and he groans, lifting his eyes from the highlighted lines to stare at his mom. 

" _ Yes, _ Mom?" He grits out, staring down at his script pointedly before looking back at her, "I'm a bit busy." 

His mom frowns, "your friends are here now, Mike, but I've insisted that they stay in the living room until you clean your basement a bit. It's a mess." 

"But- wait, what? I didn't invite them." And now that Mike's listening, he can hear Dustin talking excitedly in the background, drifting from downstairs. 

" _ Michael,"  _ his mom says, a warning in her tone, "go downstairs and clean your basement, or I'm sending them home." 

"But-" 

" _ Now,  _ Mike." 

So even though he definitely didn't invite his friends over(he glares at them when he passes, ignoring Dustin's grin and Lucas's smirk and Will's sheepish smile), he reluctantly cleans up anyways. His mom doesn't let any of them help.

~~~~~~~~~

Mike will probably never admit it, but he likes having them over when he's planning a campaign. 

Sure, the teasing gets annoying. He's constantly glaring at them from behind his notebook, miffed at the way Lucas laughs the hardest when Mike's offended, the way Dustin delves into his inner drama queen as often as possible around them, the way even quiet Will joins in. 

("Can you guys  _ plea _ se stop talking," Mike groans one day, dramatically plugging his ears, "It's  _ really hard _ to think." 

"Well yeah, trying anything for the first time is hard," Will mumbles, just loud enough that they can all hear. His gaze hasn't left his sketchbook. 

"Do you need some ice for that burn?" Dustin mutters under his breath, while Lucas gapes at Will in shock. 

Mike ignores it. His best friend is too nice to say anything like that. Dustin must've put him up to it. "Thanks for your consideration," he tags on, quick and rushed and letting Will know that yes, he heard, but no, he's not gonna let it affect him. No way.) 

Ever since his pathetic book throw, Dustin has picked up the habit of crumpling paper and throwing it as badly as possible - he never hits his target, quite purposefully letting the paper sail in different directions - and he does it  _ all the time.  _ It's… annoying, but Mike's trying his hardest to ignore it. 

It's still nice, having them there, while he's planning, because even though he never lets them in on his plans -  _ no Dustin, I can't tell you, it would ruin the surprise!  _ \- they keep him company and it's… nice, to not be alone.

~~~~~

Max joins their party pretty quickly after Week of Hell Part 2: Shadow Monster Edition, but it still takes her a little bit to get used to all of the… bizarre traditions and customs the party already has in place. 

"Um," she starts one night, staring very confusedly at Mike from his position of curled against Lucas, an arm wrapped around his friend's shoulders as he explains his idea for a new character. Will is dming this time around, the smaller boy tucked away in a corner working in silence. 

"What's wrong Max?" Lucas asks, and Mike can't help but give the girl a confused look - she  _ wanted  _ to join their party she doesn't have the  _ right  _ to question them - as her cheeks fluster. 

"Is…  _ this, _ " and she gestures at them vaguely, "normal? Should I be concerned?" 

Lucas and Mike share looks, and then they both burst into laughter. 

"You'll learn pretty quickly," Dustin chirps from his seat, "that Mike is like a very cuddly snake. He may hiss at you for a little bit, but inevitably he'll wrap himself around you and you'll never get rid of him." 

"Shut  _ up  _ Dustin," Mike groans, and he feels his cheeks heat. 

"It's true," Will and Lucas chorus at the same time, and Mike releases Lucas in favor of flopping backwards on the couch dramatically. "I can't believe I've been  _ betrayed, _ " he whined, "and by my own friends I'm hurt." 

"You love us," Dustin snickers. 

"Actually, I hate all of you." 

~~~~~~~

Mike is starting to get suspicious. 

A couple weeks ago, Dustin brought over this gigantic dry erase board, complete with four slots - D, L, M, W - and a marker. Every weekend, at the most  _ random times,  _ he adds tallies to said board. 

L and M have the most tallies, neck and neck in whatever competition this is. D has about half as many. W has almost none at all. 

Mike never asks about it - he's learned not to question anything his friends do at this point - but it becomes harder and harder to ignore. 

It's a rainy day when he puts the pieces together. He's invited them all over again, and rather than work on a campaign they're all just… talking, lounging around the room. 

"What are you  _ wearing,  _ anyways?" Max asks with a wrinkle of her nose, glaring daggers into his shirt like she can burn it away with a look. 

Mike frowns right back at her, "what do you mean, what am I wearing? What's wrong with my outfit?" 

"...it's hideous," she deadpans, exchanging looks with Lucas. 

"It is not! You just have poor taste!" 

And then Max looks smug, and Lucas sighs and grumbles something under his breath, and Dustin adds another tally to M, and Mike narrows his eyes as the pieces slot into place. 

"Are… are you guys having a competition about teasing me?"

Only Will even looks somewhat remorseful - the other three just laugh. Mike sputters in response. 

"But… what… why?" 

"Dude," Dustin looks at him, eyebrows raised, "no offense, but you are  _ ridiculously  _ easy to tease." 

"I am  _ not!!!!"  _ Mike exclaims, waving his hands in the air. All four of his  _ asshole  _ friends just give each other deadpan looks. 

"You kinda are," Will says, matter-of-factly, "you're really dramatic Mike." 

Mike sends his friend the best look of betrayal he can muster - he calls it his Julius Caesar look - and flops back in his chair. "Assholes, all of you," he moans, "I cannot believe I'm friends with you guys." 

"Don't be rude, you love us," Dustin grins, "I mean, you chose us, and now you're stuck with us."

Mike just fixes him with a look, "I did nothing of the sort." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We survived!" 

Mike can't help but grin as they march over to Will's house - his mom had demanded it, and they all know better than to mess with Joyce Byers - still clad in matching t-shirts and shorts. 

"First year of high school, done," Lucas declares, linking his arms with Max on one side and Mike on the other. Mike has Will on his other side - he marvels at the height difference, even after puberty Will is so much  _ shorter  _ than him - and Dustin is on Max's other side. Together, they form an army line of proud nerds. 

(Briefly, he wishes El were here - that she could be allowed out in public. But no, it still isn't safe, he'll just… have to be satisfied with the fact that at least he knows she's  _ alive _ ). 

Joyce just about melts when she sees them - all grinning and sweaty from the June heat - and her eyes light up. "Look at you," she coos, and Mike feels his cheeks flush, "all grown up!" 

"Moooooom," Will whines. 

"Alright, alright," and then Joyce pulls out something and Mike's breathing quickens. 

It's a camera. 

"I can take the picture!" He blurts, ignoring the way all of his friends turn to look at him, "so I don't inconvenience you, Mrs. Byers." 

Joyce gives him a look, "...it isn't an inconvenience Mike." 

"Are you sure?" Mike feels flustered, "I can totally take it." 

"Mike, you can't skip the picture," Will chides, his eyebrows raised. 

"Yeah, you're the glue of the group," Lucas adds, "you can't just skip." 

He isn't very convinced, but he forces a smile anyways, nudging Lucas's shoulder, "aw, you need me?" 

"No," Max butts in, "you're the glue because you're sticky and gross." But there's a lightness to her tone, a fondness that he knows she'll deny in a heartbeat. 

(He's grimacing in the picture, but it almost isn't noticeable with how brightly his friends are beaming. Not too bad of a picture, he thinks). 

~~~~~~~~~~

He's already in an irritable mood when they arrive, unannounced. 

Mike doesn't even know why he's so grumpy - he's planning his newest campaign, and he's at the biggest action scene, but it isn't working right and he keeps erasing and restarting. He's just about torn a hole in his paper, running hands through his hair in frustration, when his friends stroll in, looking far too sunny for his dour mood. 

"Well hello there, Whee- are you alright, Mike?" 

Mike hadn't realized how intently he had been staring at them before Lucas says something, and he just shakes his head, looking back down at his paper.

"Of course. I'm fine," he mutters, furiously erasing another line. He misses the looks his friends share. 

A hand touching his shoulder draws him out of his stupor; Will is smiling softly at him, and God  _ damnit  _ Mike can't help but relax at the look. Will's fingers rub small circles into Mike's shoulders, and it's soothing. 

"You know we don't buy that," he says, his tone still soft, "you can talk to us, Mike. Please." 

It's always been party tradition to talk things out, and Mike almost regrets this because he doesn't even know what to  _ say.  _

"I'm just… tired," he finally says, and he tugs himself away from Will, "and I'm really not in the mood for that teasing game you guys play, so please, leave it." 

"Of course we're not going to do that," Lucas says, and then he's at Mike's side. Dustin all but yanks the paper away from him, putting it aside. Mike tries to protest, but then Max has her hands on both of his shoulders massaging them, and Will has sat down in the opposite chair, reaching out to take Mike's hands. 

"It's okay," they all say, and Mike can't help but smile at how…  _ loved  _ he feels. 

(They fall asleep that night on the floor. Mike has his head against Dustin's legs, with Will sprawled across him. Lucas has his head resting on Dustin's lap, and Max is simultaneously on top of both him and Mike, somehow not kicking Will at all. In the morning, they'll all be complaining about the heat, all of them sweaty and uncomfortable and yet… 

It feels like home). 


End file.
